By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT – Bahamas Union of Teachers president Belinda Wilson said the union is very pleased with what it has been able to achieve for its members in the new industrial agreement with government.

And with the contract now completed, she said the next priority for the BUT is moving forward with the construction of a $1.3 million building on Grand Bahama.

“For the past seven years, we have been working on having a building built in Grand Bahama and I am pleased to report that we have started construction adjacent to the Jack Hayward High School,” she told The Tribune.

The building will house the BUT office and will also include rental spaces and a hall for events.

Ms Wilson said the union has worked very hard and has made good progress over the past two years.

She noted that the new agreement includes a $700 lump sum payment for teachers, who will also be getting a salary increase this month.

Ms Wilson said the union was also able to get substantial medical insurance for its members.

“Our members are really pleased and happy with what we have achieved,” she said.

The president added that the union’s membership continues to remain solid, despite the loss of some members to the newly-formed Bahamas Educators Managerial Union.

“We lost only about three scores of persons, so it has not affected us negatively,” Ms Wilson said.

Ms Wilson and her vice-president, Phil Dorsett, were among the contingent that travelled to Grand Bahama with the new Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald on Thursday to view repairs at public schools.

She commended the minister for inviting them, and said such gestures can only foster good relations between the union and government.

Speaking of the state of public schools in Grand Bahama, Mrs Wilson said: “We are pleased with the relocation of the Lewis Yard Primary to St Vincent De Paul. That was a recommendation that we made five years ago.

“EMR High is going to have a new principal, and we are hoping that there are no more challenges as in previous years, particularly in terms of teacher – administration relations.

“We know that corporate sponsors in the community have been reaching out to EMR, and we really hope they continue to do that so that it can encourage community involvement and help to motive teachers and students to work harder.”